


Dead Reckoning

by cumjar123



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ash Lynx Lives, Ash Lynx Needs A Hug, Ash Lynx is a Little Shit, Banana Fish Anime Spoilers, Banana Fish References, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Depressing, Fluff and Angst, Get ready to cry, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Photographer Okumura Eiji, References to Depression, References to Drugs, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sexual Abuse, Shorter Wong Being a Little Shit, Shorter Wong Lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:09:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29783505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cumjar123/pseuds/cumjar123
Summary: dead reckoning---------------------------------------------------One bullet, one choice.Ash's finger, locked on the curved metal piece- cold and harsh against his soft grasp. No delay: the click of a trigger and the bang of a fired shot. a singular bullet bore such great culpability within its duty. his best friend or his soul mate...Where in episode 9 the roles of Shorter and Eiji are reversed. Will ash's bullet pearce Shorter who's able-minded or Eiji who's mind is consumed by banana fish?
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Shorter Wong
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	1. waiting for chances

**Author's Note:**

> hi this is my first fanfic plz be nice :3  
> TWs at the end notes!!! If you will get triggered by any of those topics please don't read. enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiii, i'm so excited this is my first fan ficcc!! let me know if you want a second chapter in the comments please, i'll do one as soon as someone comments or when i have time :). TWS ARE IN THE END NOTES!!!

_Dead reckoning_

**\- ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ １-**

* * *

### Dead Reckoning

 _n_. to find yourself bothered by someone’s death more than you would have expected, as if you assumed they would always be part of the landscape, like a lighthouse you could pass by for years until the night it suddenly goes dark, leaving you with one less landmark to navigate by—still able to find your bearings, but feeling all that much more adrift.

* * *

Ash jolted awake, his vision blurred. Squeezing his eyes shut he opened them to a clearer scenery and realisation.

'Old man dino's execution room' he thought, ash made no mistake.

Towering wooden pillars supported the stone ceiling stained with crimson splatters in every other direction. 

A tugging sensation burned at his wrists as he attempted to yank the rusted metal chains from securing him to the 'n' shaped frame they dangled from. Soon realising that he wasn't alone in the upsettingly nostalgic room, Ibe and Max were chained sitting down to one of the pillars. 

"Remember this room?"

a sudden voice questioned, with venomous intention from behind. Ash flinched at the unexpected speech, usually ash's intuition and concentration were extraordinarily impressive- 'have the drugs not worn off yet?' he pondered to himself.

footsteps slapped against the cold floor in an orderly manner, the unknown figure revealing its identity. 

"Arthur."

Ash ignored his question, instead flatly stating his name. His voice coated in disgust and frustration.

"I'm not a fucking animal why am i chained up? i thought you were Dinos dog, not me." 

,he continued. the corner of his lips twitched as he attempted to compress a creeping grin.

"last time i checked Monsieur Golzine has been in control of you for more then half your life." 

Arthur let out a short sigh,

"If you had just been an obedient little lynx you could've had whatever you liked. Ash Lynx your reasoning for betraying Monsieur is ridiculous, freedom won't come that easily, especially for you."

He lifted ashes chin up to face him, and parted his lips to speak again.

"you should've just stayed with Mons-"

Ash interrupted him with spitting into his face. Clearly pissed, Arthur used his sleeve to wipe the saliva off of his face. Ash monitored his movements (forgetting he couldn't do anything with him being chained up). Arthur reached into his pocket and revealed a switch blade, his scarred fingers flipping it open.

The unshaded light reflected onto it and into ash's green orbs, highlighting his bored glance. 

"Huh? Not scared yet? Don't worry Ash, i'll have so much fun breaking you. _Everyone_ has a breaking point."

Ash let out a laugh laced with carelessness, yet the smile didn't reach his eyes. 

"Breaking me? Good luck Arthur."

Without hesitation Arthur began with the blade. Dashing his arm from left to right, he dug the blade into Ash's left upper arm. He earned nothing more then a flinch from him even as warm crimson liquid flowed down his arm, a puddle forming below him.

For a few seconds there was an unsatisfactory silence. The echoing of 'drip-drop' repeated and the puddle of blood became relatively large.

finally one spoke.

"That all you got Arthur? Don't celebrate yet, i've still got plenty of energy."

Ash mocked him with his face drowsy from the blood he'd lost already. 

"Cocky, i see. No need to fret i've got plenty in store. You see there's a little surprise for you. Your weakness may not be damage to yourself but your incredibly helpless when it comes to people you love."

Arthur cackled to himself as if it was the most humorous joke told to mankind, Ash's green eyes sunk to the floor with panic, 'Eiji' was the only name that came to mind. 

"You wouldn't. I had a deal with Dino, you can't fucking touch Eiji."

He couldn't contain his frustration and anger, it leaked out in heavy breaths; attempts calm himself down. 

Arthur simply raised a brow,

"we won't hurt him don't worry. Either way if i were you would be more cautious about yourself right now."

It had only been an hour, to ash it felt like five. His energy was leaking out of him with the blood, he was exhausted. Varieties of fresh wounds littered his pre-scarred skin, dry and fresh blood. Ash couldn't see without a blurred film now and if not for the chains bound to his wrists he would've fallen to the ground into his own luke-warm blood.

Arthur stood spinning the knife around like kids in school would with a pencil, he had a smug look plastered across his face. Impressed with his work.

"Actually ash, i've had enough. You just can't break, it's boring honestly!"

A dry laugh escaped his chapped lips and he continued,

"i've got a trump card against you so don't think your off the hook, i've got something of a delicacy in line for you. For now you should probably just focus on staying awake though, i'll go and check if your little _surprise_ is ready."

With that, Arthur whipped his head to the door and strolled out, still covered in Ash's blood wearing it like a badge of honour. 

'shit' Ash thought to himself. He turned to Max and Ibe. Their eyes reflected the red of his blood and their own fear mixed together. 

"Mornin-"

Ash managed to croak out before coughing up more crimson coloured puke. 

"Are you okay?"

max asked urgently, Ash replied sarcastically with two thumbs quickly realising they were above his head chained, he went with an 'i'm okay' instead.

"Arthur fucked me up real good, left just before you idiots woke up. Look i'm sorry to drag you into this-"

"Hey. No apologies, it's not your fault Ash. Me and Ibe chose to be involved okay?"

Ibe nodded and gave a reassuring look, Ash just nodded in defeat and quieted down. They all rested in a comfortable silence, calm before the storm you could say. 

The doors to the room burst open with a loud clang all three pairs of eyes darted to the same direction. 

_**Dino.** _

The tranquil atmosphere faded into an unpleasant, awkward silence. Ash avoided eye contact but managed to reply to the presence of the man.

"Hey old man."

Although Dino never seemed to become agitated by the informal way ash would address him, Arthur made sure to put Ash in 'his place'. Once again revealing the blade, slashing it against ash's cheek, a curved red line faded in and soon scarlet blood leaked out.

"You should respect Monsieur. After all, your just his puppet."

Simply, Ash ignored him and the throbbing hot pain on his left side.

"Ash, are you-"

He interrupted Max quickly.

"it's ok max. Just stay quiet and we can get out alive."

Max nodded, his remorseful expressed returned as he sat on the side-lines.

Arthur began to waffle on about how he had something in store, something Ash would completely break at. His face wore his intentions, cruel and vile. 

Ash shivered at the confidence of his plan, but he knew there was only one think that would crack his cocky attitude and break his soul.

They couldn't though, if Ash stayed with Dino and became his pet once again then Eiji was to be left alone. 

One thing that he didn't consider was Dino's dirty tactics and low blows. Dino wasn't a devil he was a snake. Sly and manipulative, and fangs which held poison- deadly. 

Ash looked past it, Eiji is safe. He repeated, repeated and repeated in his head until Arthur's voice became clear and wasn't just a buzzing in the background like static tv. 

"Ash lynx, i'm going to show you what will make you break now. I can't wait to see the show unwind."

History repeated itself and all eyes were at the door when it opened once again.

Ash felt his confidence wither away and his breath catch in his throat. 

_Ash was to naive._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWS:  
> • detailed gore description   
> • knife violence   
> • drug reference/implications


	2. One bullet. One choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HIIIII!!! okay so thank you guys so much I know it doesn't seem like much but I'm so grateful even one person read my first chapter, here's the second! TWS at the end notes :0

_Dead reckoning_

**\- ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ 2-**

* * *

### Dead Reckoning

 _n_. to find yourself bothered by someone’s death more than you would have expected, as if you assumed they would always be part of the landscape, like a lighthouse you could pass by for years until the night it suddenly goes dark, leaving you with one less landmark to navigate by—still able to find your bearings, but feeling all that much more adrift.

* * *

As if it was slow-motion, two males entered. 

Ash could feel the guilt, inevitably devouring any hope he had. His throat closed and his breathing caught in his chest. A great tremor over took him; his jade eyes covered in a layer of unshed tears, like thin glass ready to shatter at any moment. He quickly blinked them away.

"Eiji, Shorter. Did they hurt you?"

He called out in a panicked tone, gaze locked into them. It was rather a reassurance than a serious question. 

"I already said we didn't hurt them, someone else will."

Arthur sneered, venom laced with false-care. Ash hastily replied to the statement with a raw throated call. Eyes shimmering with hate whilst he held back the urge to breakdown, especially in front of Ibe, Max, Shorter and Eiji, Ash clenched his jaw shut and began.

"You promised-"

Urgency was setting in and Ash was starting to cave. Fear was engulfing his conscience, his ability to make clear and coherent choices was rapidly fading into jumbled words of horror, he could handle himself but not others- _not Eiji_ .

"- that Eiji wouldn't be hurt, please I've done what you want. Leave them alone"

Arthur just laughed and laughed. Looking at Eiji chained up, ash felt his fists clenching into tight balls until his knuckles turned pale white. To Ash, his laugh sounded like nails on a black board. Unbearable and horrific but he had no choice but to force himself through it. He decided asking Arthur was no help and asked straight instead.

"Eiji have they done anything?"

Waiting, waiting. no response except a simple glance in his direction. it was lifeless and vacant. 

"Eiji?"

nothing.

"EIJI."

Shorter stood across the room just watching the chaos unfold, he couldn't take it. Shorter had watched Ash mentally, emotionally and physically suffer for years but the desperation in his voice utterly destroyed Shorter.

"Ash, stop it. I don't know what they did but that's not Eiji anymore."

Ash's jaw dropped and eyes wide, Shorter's blatant telling might not have been the best route. Eiji wasn't Eiji and a fool could tell, Ash was in denial. 

"What do you mean not Eiji? Are you fucking hysterical he's right there, it's him. Hello? Eiji, answer me!"

Ash spat out with frustration and regret. Arthur interrupted the reunion of Shorter, Ash and somewhat Eiji. Smirking with his eyes half closed carelessly.

"Your friends right Ash. It may be Eijis body but his mind is absent to reality."

Something in his mind clicked and he knew instantly what engulfed eijis conscience. In that moment Ash felt a freezing wave of realization hit him, his pupils shrank and his breathing shallowed. 'It can't be, no. no. no.' ,he told himself repeating it and reassuring his mind. However, he couldn't avoid it and refuse reality, Ash knew what they did to eiji. Observantly, Arthur noticed Ash's mannerism and nearly burst out with his deafening laughter, like a cackling hyena. 

"banana fish." 

Dino interrupted from the distance he stood, a plain expressionless face still occupying his face. There was nothing but a slight glimmer of success, tricking Ash was just another one of his 'great' accomplishments. Although Ash had already clocked what they had done to Eiji, he hadn't felt it was real. The fact it was spoken out loud by Dino -of all people- was a harsh slap across the face. The slap stung, or was it the salty tears spilling from his eyes into his fresh wounds. He can to the conclusion of both. Silence filled the room and Ash listened to the sound of his irregular heart beat pounding faster and faster. Arthur was still not at the peak of his satisfaction and felt it the perfect opportunity to step it up.

"Oh Ash? Shedding some tears isn't going to change Eijis fate. Now watch."

Swiftly, Arthur marched over to shorter needling his fingers through his purple mohawk and yanking him harshly towards Eiji. Arthur released and Shorted fell to the ground, his knees giving in to the throbbing pain from the previous drugs. Arthur walked over to eiji roughly brining his head up.

"don't touch him! You'll regret this Arthur please."

Ash practically pleaded, Arthur ignored him and continued roughly dragging eijis limp body towards shorter.

"take a good look at this man," 

Arthur directed Eiji to shorters perplexed face still on the ground kneeling. 

"You hate him. He's a horrible man and you must kill him, got it?"

Finishing his speech, he threw a knife to Eiji and walked to the side. Eiji stood up like a drunken man, limbs swaying and unsteady posture. The knife in his hand was ready however and ready to kill, with no hesitation he swung towards shorter who managed to roll to his side. Only his hair had been slashed slightly, he stood up alarmed and got into a fighting stance ready to defend himself. Eiji threw another slash, this time a shallow slash bled, a red line now on Shorters arm.

"Oh, I nearly forgot. If you don't want to die defend yourself."

Arthur threw second knife to the ground but Shorter ignored it, he refused to fight Eiji, especially in the mind he's in. Eiji continued to throw slashes, some hit, some didn't, some made deeper cuts and some shallow. Ash watched the scene unfold with tears running down his face and inaudible mumbles, most likely begging the torture to stop. Arthur turned his attention,

"Ash, there's only one bullet. good luck lynx."

He placed a gun down on he floor just below Ash, he knew what he had to do. The question was who. Eiji roughly pushed shorter to the ground hovering on top of him, 'this is it' Shorter though to himself as Eiji raised the blade into the air. Arthur smirked and unleashed the Lynx, in the flash of a second Ash could feel the cool metal caressing his fingertips. 

One bullet, one choice.

Ash's finger, locked on the curved metal piece- cold and harsh against his soft grasp. No delay: the click of a trigger and the bang of a fired shot. a singular bullet bore such great culpability within its duty. Ash watched in absolute sickening horror as the bullet pierced its target.

Ash could taste the bitter pang of regret.

He could hear the clicking of the trigger as he pulled it.

He could smell the aroma of metallic blood clouding his airways.

He could see the aftermath of the single bullet he released.

He could feel the impact of his actions coiling around his heart.

Chains retracted backwards and Ash allowed the painful stinging yank at his wrists. 

Eiji lay limp, a hole in his chest spilling with fresh blood.

_Ash shot Eiji, Ash shot his soulmate._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWS:  
> * gun/knife violence  
> * detailed descriptions of gore  
> * character death


	3. aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HIIII omg omg, ok third chapter. thank you for the support so far ilyyy. this too me through an emotional rollercoaster plzzzzz. TWS at the end notes :0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HIIII omg omg, ok third chapter. thank you for the support so far ilyyy. this too me through an emotional rollercoaster plzzzzz. TWS at the end notes :0

_Dead reckoning_

**\- ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ 3-**

* * *

### Dead Reckoning

 _n_. to find yourself bothered by someone’s death more than you would have expected, as if you assumed they would always be part of the landscape, like a lighthouse you could pass by for years until the night it suddenly goes dark, leaving you with one less landmark to navigate by—still able to find your bearings, but feeling all that much more adrift.

* * *

**RECAP:**

Ash could taste the bitter pang of regret.

He could hear the clicking of the trigger as he pulled it.

He could smell the aroma of metallic blood clouding his airways.

He could see the aftermath of the single bullet he released.

He could feel the impact of his actions coiling around his heart.

Chains retracted backwards and Ash allowed the painful stinging yank at his wrists. 

Eiji lay limp, a hole in his chest spilling with fresh blood.

_Ash shot Eiji, Ash shot his soulmate._

**_CHAPTER 3:_ **

Too many tears had been shed, from when the dam that held back Ash's feeling had broke, everything had been released. All left of Ash now was an empty shell, unable to cry. He hung by his wrists, his eyes dull and biting his lips until he drew blood and could taste the bitterness as well as feel it.

Ibe on the other hand, was in shambles, practically drowning in his tears of despair. Not only did he love Eiji as if he was his own son, he had been giving responsibility to look after him. Chocking on his words he attempted to called out to the lifeless body of what was Eiji. Max (although he didn't know the boy all too well) was in utter shock, frozen in time his eyes stared into nothingness as he tried to comprehend what had happened.

Then there was Shorter who lay under the bleeding corpse of his best friends soulmate, his friend even. Purple mohawk now damp with brown fresh blood. Shorter brought himself to move, pushing Eiji off his chest, lying him down on the cold, solid floor. His eyes travelled down to Eijis chest, his grey button up shirt absorbing his own warm crimson blood.

Ash recalled one time in Cape Cod, the suns tip peaking over the meadows and the grass highlighted a dim orange. He could remember the sound of his reloading gun followed by the shattering of lined up glass he was using for target practice. Eiji had woken up but claimed Ash hadn't woken him, his brown eyes glowing in the sky's reflection with reassurance. Wearing a childish smile as Ash held onto his warm hands teaching him how to aim, Eiji made him feel normal. Like a kid. Ash remembered it so clearly.

The memory was somewhat the same as what had just occurred, but instead of target practice it was the real thing. Instead of glass, the target was Eiji who shattered the same. Instead of Ash waking him up, he put him into eternal sleep, his brown eyes no longer filled with reassurance but hollowness. Instead of Ash holding his hands it was Shorter clutching them, cold and empty. 

Ash no longer felt normal when with Eiji, Ash felt trapped.

There was silence for a few minutes, other than Shorter vigorously shaking Eiji and screaming for him to wake up, chocking on this own tears. Once Shorter could no longer speak, his throat raw, Arthur spoke up.

"Ash, your incredibly strong defending yourself but your weakness lies with the people you love. I enjoyed breaking you, I'll see you later"

With that two men dragged shorter and Eiji away, Shorter didn't have the energy to do anything and closed his eyes. The three left in the room didn't make eye contact, none spoke either. Max was silent with shock, Ibe was too upset and still had tears streaming down his face unable to wipe them away and Ash was numb. He couldn't feel anything and had cried away his tears already, he just stared at the ground and his jade eyes were duller and bore no emotion.

Whilst the three were stuck in the execution room, Shorter was thrown into a room of the luxurious mansion and locked in. Too emotionally drained, he didn't even get up to lay on the bed but instantly falling into a careless sleep. Outside of the mansion, Ash's gang had teamed up with the Chinese, since Shorter as gone, Sing took over for the mission to save the five who had were with Dino- Ash, Shorter, Eiji, Max and Ibe. Dino was coincidentally leaving his mansion to attend to business leaving them the perfect opening for their plan to take place. They began to make their way inside, after evaluating how many guards were on watch and silently taking them out.

Roughly half an hour late, Shorter was woken from his short-lived slumber by Yut-Lung.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Shorter asked, voice still groggy.

"Its a long story but for now we should get out of here. Get up and follow me now."

Shorter was for not in the right state after seeing what he saw, but he had seen that before and understood to survive he had to forget it for now. Ash was still being held captive after all.

"What about Ash, Max and Ibe? They are still in the execution room, I'm not leaving without them."

He replied strictly.

"I've already dealt with that, they are all okay. Don't worry, we need to leave now come on."

Shorter was sceptic but decided it was in his best interest to trust him, not as if he has any choice in that situation in the first place.

Yut-Lung spoke the truth.

He had gone into the execution room and left the key on top of the wooden pillars holding Ash in place, Max and Ibe still asleep. 

"Get out of here. I'm sure you'll figure out a way to get the key Ash." 

he said before leaving, as soo as he heard the doors closed Ash started swinging back and forth, picking up momentum. Ibe and max had noticed half way through, confused on what was going on until Ash got on top and picked up a key unlocking his wrists from the chain.

"And where the fuck did you get the key?"

Max questioned.

"Ill explain later, lets get out of here."

Ash hopped down, flinching as he forgot he was still weak from Arthurs torture. Ash crouched down and began to unlock Max and Ibe. They both let out a sigh once they were free, but he left them no time to rest and in an instant was heading out of the execution room. They walked fast but silently, Ash was leading them somewhere and no one dared to ask because he. looked. pissed. They soon came to a halt in front of two large metal doors, Ash punched in a code and they began to move. Inside were rows and rows of guns, bombs and more guns, it was clear it was an armoury.

"we're here, stock up 'rite"

Max stood in awe, even in Vietnam there were neve this many weapons it was shocking, even more so for Ibe. They started grabbing guns and Max explained to Ibe safety triggers and how to fire and aim. After roughly five minutes the three left and the booming of bullets echoed the halls of the mansion. They scrambled to the direction peaking a loo at what was happening, to their surprise it was Ash's gang as well as the Chinese.

"Ash!!"

bones cried out, everyone else soon noticing the threes presence. 

"We need to get out of here, ill go and get shorter and I'll meet you all back at the hideout, there's a garage down the hall smash all the cars except one. I'll drive it out and you can use what you arrived in."

Like clockwork they all nodded except Sing, the temporary leader of the Chinese.

"We came for Shorter, we ain't leaving without him."

Ash sighed, his frustration growing by the second. Max quickly intervened.

"Hey, Ash is Shorters best friend he wouldn't leave him, just let Ash get him and till all be alright."

They boy just pouted and ordered his men to fall back ad follow the plan, most of them were less than pleased but did so anyways. Ash gave one last goodbye and darted off, the other went the opposite direction. He knew that Yut-Lung had already run off with Shorter and left him outside in the safety but he had to lie, he couldn't bring himself to tell them about Eiji. 

Walking down the hall he stopped at the operation room and inhaled deeply, Ash entered and was met with a familiar face.

_Abraham Dawson._

As son as their eyes locked Abraham began begging for his life knowing exactly what Ash planned to do to him.#

"Listen it as necessary for the production of Banana Fish, with this perfected we can control whoever-"

Ash felt the anger buried deep inside him burst and he emptied out the bullets in the gun into his body, even after Ash was sure the man was dead he continued until the gun locked and there was no more ammo inside. He felt something lift off of him, a heavy weight of his shoulders until he saw a body on the operating table, brains spilt and head sliced open, crimson blood tainting the tools. Ash saw black tufts of hair and it clicked, Eiji. He dropped to his knees and let put a long painful scream and buried his head into his knees rocking back and forth. In his mind was a storm of emotions, sadness, confusion but overpowering anger. With that anger he burnt the whole lab, that was they wouldn't be able to use Eijis brain to test it at the minimum.

"boss?"

Ash whipped his head around.

"Get. Out."

He muttered. Bones turned his head to the burning body and but his hand over his mouth gagging, holding in the urge to throw up.

"I-Is that Eiji? Is it true you killed him, Shorter was outside and accidentally told me. I didn't believe him that's why I came here but..."

Ash gave the most threatening glare he could muster up.

"Bones, I'll talk to you later but right now if you don't fucking leave I swear to god."

He understood that he had to leave and slowly backed away, the cold air from outside cooling him from the hotness of the fire inside. Ash made his way out shortly after Bones, hopping into the bright red car left for him and speeding along the high way to the hide out. When he arrived everyone got up and crowded him questioning where Eiji was.

"I need the first aid kit and a hot fucking bath."

He muttered ignoring them, they decided it was best to get Ash what he wanted. They brought one and Shorter went with Ash to the bedroom.

"sit."

Ash was too tired to make any snarky comments and did so taking his shirt off and allowing him to tend to his wounds and flinching whenever it stung. Ash wouldn't usually let anyone get close to hi or trust them, Shorter was the only person he trusted and everyone knew that so they let Shorter deal with most of Ash's issues. 

"Are you alright?"

Shorter asked, ash just nodded and asked the same.

"I'm fine, I wasn't close with Eiji, he was your soulmate Ash."

Ash didn't want to calm about it in that moment and wasn't in the mood to hear Shorter ramble about mental health so he got up and locked himself in the bathroom. Shorter rushed over but wasn't fast enough, he heard the click of the bathroom lock and silence.

"Ash, I'm just worried. If you don't want to talk about it tats fine just come out of the bathroom please"

silence. Shorter had always been worried for Ash, he only knew a fraction of what his best friend had been through and could imagine how he must feel. The world was ruthless and Ash had taken so many of its hits, Shorter was worried about the boy only a year younger and had gone through all that. He wasn't giving up on Ash.

"come on, I'm sorry ok just come out Ash. I'm getting the idea your going to slit ya' wrists in there"

The joke came out more serious than it meant to, but it made Ash reply so Shorter rolled with it.

"I'm perfectly fine I just don't want your ass near me, fuck off 'ite?"

Shorter admitted defeat and walked over to the bed sitting down. Shorter was exhausted and soon felt his body involuntarily lay down, his eyes drifting to sleep and the faint sound of footsteps heading to the sofa opposite the bed. He fell asleep into a light slumber but was awakened to the sound of running water and the bathroom door opening, Ashs face was wet and tired.

"nightmare?"

"yea. don't worry about it"

he did, but he didn't say anything and let ash 'sleep'. Shorter knew Ash never slept after nightmares, he left it though and drifted back to sleep awoken once again by the sound of arguing from the main room. 

**_"You fucking killed Eiji you liar!"_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWS:  
> *knife/gun violence  
> *character death  
> *suicide references  
> *detailed description of gore

**Author's Note:**

> TW:  
> • character death  
> • gun violence  
> • detailed description of gore


End file.
